Call for curbs on alcohol at airports after surge in drunk yobs on f lights
MINISTERS are considering a crackdown on binge-drinking at airports after a surge in bad behaviour on flights.
The number of reported incidents of abusive and disruptive behaviour in the air has more than quadrupled in four years.
Licensing laws that prevent the sale of alcohol outside permitted hours do not apply to ‘airside’ sales – once passengers have gone through security.
Airlines have described this as a ‘legal loophole’ which enables retailers to sell alcohol irresponsibly at any time of the day or night.
Unlike high street pubs and restaurants, they do not have the threat of being stripped of their licence if they behave irresponsibly – such as selling alcohol to drunk passengers.
Some airside bars have encouraged binge drinking by selling ‘ two-pint measures’ – even though it is a criminal offence to be drunk on a plane. To combat this, the Home Office is
‘Disruptive behaviour’
poised to announce plans to tighten rules so they apply to the sale of alcohol to passengers once they have passed through security.
The ‘call for evidence’ will outline proposals to amend the Licensing Act 2003 so that it finally applies to outlets selling alcohol airside.
Industry group Airlines UK insisted it is not trying to ‘call time on the early morning pint’.
But its chief executive, Tim Alderslade, said: ‘The problem of disruptive behaviour has got progressively worse over a number of years, despite the best efforts of industry to tackle it.
‘There is no evidence to suggest these incidents won’t persist without the active involvement of government.
‘Given that alcohol plays a major role in disruptive passenger behaviour, it is essential that its sale in airports is done responsibly.’
Airline industry data shows that 70 per cent of disruptive passenger incidents involve alcohol. The Civil Avi- ation Authority revealed last week that it had already received more than 200 incident reports about disruptive passengers in the year up to July 16 – before the busy summer flying season had even begun. The watchdog received 417 complaints in total last year, up from 98 in 2013.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Everyone should be able to enjoy a safe journey through UK airports without disruption. Most UK air passengers behave responsibly, but any disruptive or drunk behaviour is entirely unacceptable.’
There are already tough penalties for drunkenness on an aircraft – a maximum of two years in prison or an unlimited fine. But Ryanair has proposed a two-drink limit for passengers and a total ban on alcohol sales in airports before 10am.
In a separate move, the Department of Transport is considering forcing retailers to put duty-free alcohol in sealed plastic bags to stop binge drinking by passengers before they get on flights.